Hydraulic elevating-machine.



No. 632,829. I Patented Sept. l2, I899.

S. L. BERRY.

HYDRAULIC ELEVATING MMIHINE.v

(Application filed Jam 18, 1899.)

(No Model.)

wi/lmma UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

SENECA LUCIEN BERRY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

HYDRAULIC ELEVATING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 632,829, dated September12, 1899.

Application filed January 16, 1899. Serial No. 702,360- (No model.)

To mZZ whom it 772/[l/Z/ concern.

Be itknown that I, SENECA LUCIEN BERRY, a citizen of the United States,residing in the cityand county of San Francisco, State of California,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in HydraulicElevating-Machines, of which the following is a specificallOll.

My invention relates to that class of machines used in hydraulicking inwhich a stream of high-pressure water is employed to raise to asufficient height for sluicing and dumping the gravel which has beenwashed down by the giant or monitor.

It has heretofore been the practice to raise to the sluices both thegravel and the hydraulicking-water by a jet of high-pressure water. Thisis an inefficient practice on account of the loss of energy accompanyingthe impact of the high-pressure water on the water to be raised. Myinvention comprises means for converting the whole of the Water to beraised into high-pressure water before impinging it upon the gravel. Inother words, the solids and liquids from the hydraulicking operation arenow completely separated, the liquid going in one direction through apump into a pipe and being given thereby high pressure and the solidsbeing conveyed separately into said pipe at a point where the liquidtherein has attained a high velocity.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical elevationand section showing the machine assembled. Fig. 2 is a section throughthe throat-piece on the line a b, Fig. 1.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in both figures.

A is a flume or sluice used for conveying the material to be elevated.

13 is a hopper of sufficient size at the top to receive the materialdeposited by the flume A and converging to the width of the throat C.

C is a passage or throat of such proprotion as to produce. the conditionhereinafter described. The pit D forms a sump or receptacle for thecollection of the water to be raised by the pump E. The upraise-pipe Fcarries the water and other material to the sluice or flume G, whichconveys them to the dumps.

H is a pipe connecting the pump E with the throat C.

The pump E is preferably a centrifugal pump, but may be of anykindsuitable to the work and may be driven in any convenient manner.

The passage C is whatis called a Venturi tube--that is, one in which thecross-section varies along the tube, so that at a certain point therein,which may be called the neutral point, there is neither outward pressureon the walls of the tube nor inward suction. To produce this effect, thetube must have a slight convergence toward and divergence from saidpoint. At this point an opening may be made in the side of the tubewithout in any way aflfecting the flow of water therein. If then thehopper B be placed above said opening and filled with gravel and water,the gravel will force its way into the throat C by reason of itssuperior specific gravity, while the water will be excluded.

In operation the water in the tlume A reaches the elevator and fills thepump E, pipe H, throat C, hopperB, and pitD. The pump E is started andforces the water through the throat and up the pipe F. When the gravelor other material to be elevated reaches the machine, it falls into thehopper and is carried up by the ascending stream, the water going to thepit D to be raised by the pump. A screen is placed in the flume Ato stopany material which may be too large to pass through the throat C. Thesuperior weight of the solid, the height of the fall, and the shape ofthe entrance to the throat are such as to enable the solid to enter thestream passing through the throat C.

The diameter of the throat C may vary from a fraction of an inch to thediameter of the pipe and is determined by the height to which thematerials are to be elevated and the quantity of such materials.

IVhile'I believe that a hopper discharging into the narrow portion of aVenturi tube in the u praise-pipe furnishes the most convenient thoughan unusual means of separating the water from the solids, I do not limitmyself to this particular means of separation; but the ordinary means ofseparating; water from solids may be used Withoutdeparting from thespirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what lclaim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a fiume adapted to carry the solids and Water fromhydraulicking, an upraise-pipe, a tube therein, a hopper arranged toreceive said solids from said flu me and discharge them into said tube,said hopper opening into said tube at a point of substantially neutralpressure therein, whereby air and water are excluded, while the solidspass through said opening by reason of their superior specific gravity,a receptacle receiving the water brought down by the fiume but preventedfrom passing through said opening, and a pump receiving the water fromsaid receptacle and delivering the same to the upraise-pipe,substantially as described.

2. The combination of a flume adapted to carry the solids and water fromhydraulicking and deliver them to a hopper, said hopper being adapted tosettle the solids and deliver them through a narrow exit to the narrowand a pump receiving the water from said receptacle and delivering thesame to the hydraulic elevator,substantially as described.

3. The combination of a flume adapted to carry the solids and water fromhydraulicking, an upraise-pipe, a receptacle, means for separatingthesolids from the water and cansing the former to enter the pipe directwhile the latter is first carried into the receptacle, and means forimparting a high velocity to said Water so separated and forcing it intothe upraise-pipe at a point before the entry of the solids thereinto,substantially as described.

4. The combination of a flume adapted-to carry the solids and water fromhydraulicking, an upraise-pipe, a receptacle, means for separating thesolids from the Water and cansing the former to enter the pipe directwhile the latter is first carried into the receptacle, and a centrifugalpump receiving the Water from the receptacle and forcing it into theupraise-pipe at a point before the entry of the solids thereinto,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SENECA LUCIEN BERRY.

\Vitnesses: I

FRANK EVERETT SAWYER, EDWARD EARL SAWYER.

